Worker Killed in Drilling Rig Incident

A New Iberia drill worker was killed in an accident when a drilling rig fell on a barge in the Atchafalaya Basin. The accident occurred earlier this week.

According to the Iberville Parrish Sheriff’s Office, the 30-year-old worker was trapped in between the rig and a tank after the drilling rig tipped over and fell on the barge. The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon. Rescue personnel rushed to the scene, but it soon became clear that this was not going to be a rescue effort as much as a recovery operation. The man had died, and it took personnel more than five hours to extricate his body. During the accident, a big steel toolbox had also fallen on the victim, and firemen needed to cut through it using the Jaws of Life, to get to the victim. The man was declared dead soon after.
The rig is owned by the Estes Well Service in New Iberia. According to reports, the truck-type rig was secured to the barge at the time of the accident. However something seems to have caused the weight of the rig to shift causing it to flip over, pinning the man underneath. There were five other workers on the rig, and they did not suffer injuries in the accident.